California Assembly Bill AB1324 Introduced / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 1324INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Bass FEBRUARY 27, 2009 An act to amend Sections 18250, 18251, 18253, 18253.5, 18254, 18255, 18256, and 18256.5 of, and to amend the heading of Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 18250) of Part 6 of Division 9 of, the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to public social services. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1324, as introduced, Bass. Children: wrap-around services. Under existing law, the State Department of Social Services administers a pilot project that authorizes a county to develop and implement a plan for providing wrap-around services designed to enable children who would otherwise be placed in a group home setting to remain in the least restrictive, most family-like setting possible. The pilot project also imposes specified evaluation and reporting requirements for participating counties, and training requirements for staff in participating counties. This bill would remove the designation of this program as a pilot project and make conforming changes. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. The heading of Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 18250) of Part 6 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: CHAPTER 4. COUNTY WRAP-AROUND SERVICES  PILOT PROJECT   PROGRAM  SEC. 2. Section 18250 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: 18250. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that all counties be authorized to provide children with service alternatives to group home care through the development of expanded family-based services programs. These programs shall include individualized or "wrap-around" services, where services are wrapped around a child living with his or her birth parent, relative, adoptive parent, licensed or certified foster parent, or guardian. The wrap-around services developed under this section shall build on the strengths of each eligible child and family and be tailored to address their unique and changing needs. (b) It is further the intent of the Legislature that the  pilot project   child wrap-around services program  include the following elements: (1) Making available to the county the state share of nonfederal reimbursement for group home placement, minus the state share, if any, of any concurrent out-of-home placement costs, for children eligible under this chapter, for the purpose of allowing the county to develop family-based service alternatives. (2) Enabling the county to access all possible sources of federal funds for the purpose of developing family-based service alternatives. (3) Encouraging collaboration among persons and entities including, but not limited to, parents, county welfare departments, county mental health departments, county probation departments, county health departments, special education local planning agencies, school districts, and private service providers for the purpose of planning and providing individualized services for children and their birth or substitute families. (4) Ensuring local community participation in the development and implementation of wrap-around services by county placing agencies and service providers. (5) Preserving and using the service resources and expertise of nonprofit providers to develop family-based and community-based service alternatives. SEC. 3. Section 18251 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: 18251. As used in this chapter: (a) "County" means each county participating in an individualized or "wrap-around"  pilot project   services program  . (b) "County placing agency" means a county welfare or probation department, or a county mental health department with respect to those children placed pursuant to Section 7572.5 of the Government Code. (c) "Eligible child" means a child who is any of the following: (1) A child who has been adjudicated as either a dependent or ward of the juvenile court pursuant to Section 300, 601, or 602 and who would be placed in a group home licensed by the department at a rate classification level of 10 or higher. (2) A child who would be voluntarily placed in out-of-home care pursuant to Section 7572.5 of the Government Code. (3) A child who is currently, or who would be, placed in a group home licensed by the department at a rate classification level of 10 or higher. (d) "Wrap-around services" means community-based intervention services that emphasize the strengths of the child and family and includes the delivery of coordinated, highly individualized unconditional services to address needs and achieve positive outcomes in their lives. (e) "Service allocation slot" means a specified amount of funds available to the county to pay for an individualized intensive wraparound services package for an eligible child. A service allocation slot may be used for more than one child on a successive basis. SEC. 4. Section 18253 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: 18253. Each county shall ensure that an evaluation of the  pilot project   wrap-around services program  is conducted to determine the  cost   cost-  and treatment effectiveness of outcomes such as family functioning and social performance, preventing placement in more restrictive environments, improving emotional and behavioral adjustments, school attendance, and academic performance for eligible children. Systems of care outcomes shall be included to the extent they are applicable to the target population. SEC. 5. Section 18253.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: 18253.5. Each county shall ensure that staff participating in the  pilot projects   wrap-around services programs  have completed training provided or approved by the department, on providing individualized wrap-around services. SEC. 6. Section 18254 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: 18254. (a) Reimbursement rates for  wraparound   wrap-around  services  programs  , under this  pilot project   chapter  , shall be based on the following factors: (1) The average cost of rate classification 10 to 11 in each county, minus the cost of any concurrent out-of-home placement, for children who are or would be placed in a rate level 10 or 11 group home. (2) The average cost of rate classification 12 to 14 in each county, minus the cost of any concurrent out-of-home placement, for children who are or would be placed in a rate level 12 to 14 group home. (b) The annual maximum limit on funding available for the  pilot project   wrap-around services program  authorized by this chapter shall be based on the average cost, determined pursuant to subdivision (a), for the number of service allocation slots assigned to each county. (c) The department shall reimburse each county, for the purpose of providing intensive  wraparound   wrap-around  services, up to 100 percent of the state share of nonfederal funds, to be matched by each county's share of cost as established by law, and to the extent permitted by federal law, up to 100 percent of the federal funds allocated for group home placements of eligible children, at the rate authorized pursuant to subdivision (a). (d) State and, to the extent permitted by federal law, federal foster care funds shall remain with the administrative authority of the county welfare department, which may enter into an interagency agreement to transfer those funds, and shall be used to provide intensive wraparound services. (e) General Fund costs for the provision of benefits to eligible children  pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 18251  ,  at rates authorized by subdivision (a)  ,  through the  pilot project   wrap-around services program  authorized by this chapter  ,  shall not exceed the costs which would otherwise have been incurred had the eligible children been placed in a group home. SEC. 7. Section 18255 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: 18255.  This pilot project may be extended to any   Any  county that applies to, and is granted approval, by the department  may implement a   wrap-around services program  . The number of service allocation slots assigned to each county shall be determined by each county and approved by the department. SEC. 8. Section 18256 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: 18256. Each county shall evaluate its  pilot project   wrap-around services program  , prepare  interim and final  periodic  evaluations, and submit them to the appropriate committees of the Legislature and to the department.  The interim   A  report shall be submitted not later than six months following the start of the third year of the  pilot project   wrap-around services prog   ram  .  The final   A subsequent  report shall be submitted not later than six months following the end of the  five-year pilot project   fifth year of the wrap-around services program  . These reports shall assess the effectiveness of the  pilot project   wrap-around services program  authorized by this chapter. The reports shall include, but need not be limited to, all of the following: (a) The effectiveness of the project   programs  in reducing the level of out-of-home services required, and in reducing the average length of stay in out-of-home care. (b) A comparison of the cost of placement and services for children in the  pilot project  wrap-around services program  with the average cost of out-of-home placement for the same number of children. (c) The effectiveness of the  pilot project   wrap-around services program  in assisting children and families in attaining their service goals. SEC. 9. Section 18256.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: 18256.5.  At the end of a county's pilot project, in   In  order to prevent disruption to  the   a  child  participating in a wrap-around services program  ,  each child remaining in the pilot project   any county that terminates its wrap-around services program  shall continue to  receive   provide to that participating   child  all planned services specified in the child's individualized services plan until his or her case is closed.